8
Even after I had left, the whip marks on Noah’s thighs were still vivid, as if he had been beaten moments ago. I clenched my teeth without realizing it.
Noah was placed in the center of the large stage. A magical crystal radiating light fell above him like a spotlight. The intense brightness made him frown, unable to see the dark stage below.
To the nobles hidden in the shadows, however, Noah under the light was clearer than anything else.
“Despite appearances, this product boasts a strong body and a beast-like instinct, making it highly sought after—a rare Omber in the Empire!”
Jeffrey described Noah’s traits as if he were a commodity up for auction.
“Though still young and underdeveloped, he will soon mature into a solid weapon, I assure you!”
“……”
Behind the red curtain, one of Orlun’s mages cautiously approached.
“Lady Isabella, allow me to guide you to your position.”
I had assumed I’d been forgotten in the chaos of the auction, but the friendly auction was reaching its final stages, and the tension seemed to have eased.
That meant now was my chance.
I recalled last night. How could someone like me, unable to use magic, possibly save Noah from Duke Rosenberg? It was impossible.
Unless Duke Rosenberg himself abandoned Noah… If the duke discovered Noah had a flaw, he would gladly cast Noah aside himself.
Then I wouldn’t even need to act directly to prevent Noah from falling into his hands.
The question was, how could a greedy duke be made to let go of Noah?
The answer struck me. Duke Rosenberg coveted Noah because of a racial trait unique to the Omber.
The Rosenberg family had never produced a single mage. Generations of children born without the ability to sense mana earned them a reputation as cursed bloodlines.
The Rosenbergs trained their bodies to extremes, and in an empire dominated by mages, they expanded their influence without producing a single mage.
When he glared at me yesterday, it was proof of the duke’s extreme disdain for mages.
But if Noah became a mage…?
I smiled, releasing my folded arms.
“It seems I have a place here.”
“Yes, I should have offered it sooner, but I apologize for the delay in the final check.”
Orlun’s mage handed me a black mask identical to those worn by the high nobles. I stared at it before reaching out. The mage smiled brightly.
“It’s an honor to host the Archmage, even for a moment. Enjoy the remaining…”
Before he could finish, I dropped the mask from his hands. Then, I opened the curtain and walked onto the stage.
“Lady Isabella?”
It was too late to stop me. All eyes were now on me on the stage.
I walked slowly toward Noah, the sound of my heels echoing across the elevated platform. Jeffrey, watching in disbelief, stammered.
“Behold! The Archmage Isabella, the crowning glory of this auction!”
I ignored him and stopped just in front of Noah, under the spotlight.
The hall fell silent. Noah, in a submissive posture, looked up at me with eyes full of despair.
I gave a faint smile—tense, yet mocking in the chilling light.
Noah blinked nervously, unable to imagine my next move. I took a deep breath and spoke.
“How strange.”
My voice rang through the quiet hall. Jeffrey, sweating, muttered softly.
“Haha, it seems Lady Isabella has prepared a mischievous event.”
I would not let him interrupt. I shouted boldly, looking down at the stage.
“Omber possess bodies blessed with incredible strength, completely different from ours.”
My gaze shifted theatrically toward the duke, whose mask did not hide his reactions.
“Yet they carry a contrary moniker—they are said to bear the ‘curse of mana.’”
The duke’s arm twitched on the armrest. I tapped my chin theatrically, feigning contemplation.
“Strange, isn’t it? By my observation, this one possesses mana.”
The nobles, Jeffrey, and even Noah widened their eyes in shock. The hall buzzed with murmurs. Jeffrey quickly interjected in a trembling voice.
“What do you mean? That child, a descendant of the Omber…?”
“Do you doubt your own eyes?”
The audience grew silent. I met Jeffrey’s gaze, noting his pale face despite a forced smile.
I turned to Noah.
“Then let us all confirm it together.”
I muttered it softly, kneeling to meet Noah’s eyes. His pupils wavered.
I turned my back to the audience, so only Noah could see my lips move.
“Trust me.”
It was the signal we had agreed upon behind the stage. If he didn’t follow my cue, everything would fail. I kept a stoic face, waiting.
Fortunately, he understood. After a moment’s hesitation, Noah drew a dagger from his chest. Jeffrey, noticing, turned pale and shouted.
“The item has a weapon! Seize him at once!”
Guards behind the curtain rushed forward. Without hesitation, I grabbed the blade Noah aimed at me.
The edge, slick with blood, tore the flesh of my right palm.
“What are you doing…!”
Noah, wide-eyed in shock, stared at me. Before I could explain, I touched his parted lips with my bloodied hand.
His throat moved involuntarily, and the lower lip he accidentally bit trembled lightly.
At that moment, the guards arrived to separate us. Even as they pushed me back, I checked Noah’s condition.
He was too stunned to lift his head. I bit my lips.
‘Have I failed?’
Then, around Noah, a blazing aura of red mana, resembling mine, erupted.
For someone who cannot sense mana, training to awaken it alone would take years. Assistance can advance their abilities, but feeling mana is entirely personal, as noted in the preface of Basic Mana Theory at the public library.
Those labeled with the ‘curse of mana,’ like the Rosenbergs or the Omber, are nearly incapable of sensing mana alone.
A sudden realization lit up in my mind.
This was the highlight of the novel, the worst scheme Isabella executed to manipulate Yuriel—it was the key to my plan.
The Gwelga, blessed with mana, had an ancestral spell: the Oath of Dawn.
Upon being attacked, the caster could bind the attacker’s blood to enslave them.
In the original story, Isabella succeeded in trapping Yuriel with it but died at Noah’s hands.
An unfortunate end—but it allowed me to find a way to share my mana with Noah.
Whether Noah could immediately use magic was uncertain, but there was no better method at hand. If this didn’t work, I planned to use Miller to confirm the mana within Noah.
Magic was never simple to wield at first, at least in theory.
“……”
Enveloped in red mist, Noah instantly broke the cuffs binding his wrists and, with beast-like agility, sent the guards holding him flying.
